JBlaze

Excellent idea for the small builder like myself. Thanks John

Just got back from the lake, I was a little disappointed. It did swim and waggle but it was a very slow waggle. Probably ran about 3 ft deep. You could see the X-ing action but it was so slow, you couldn't feel the vibrations. Maybe a longer slimmer bill might speed and tighten it up some. Will channge it out some other day, its much to cold out in the garage today. Anyway, it was fun making it and it was my fourth foil job (I used the christmas gift wrap foil) so it was a good practice piece. Soon, I am going to try the Faux Foil method. I am looking forward to that.

Hazmail, you and I are very close. Maybe thats why I admire your inventions

Yipee, just found out I have a brain. Pea sized I think:-) Thanks VodkaMan Left Brain Right Brain 44% 56% Your Left Brain Percentages 42% Logical (Your most dominant characteristic) 34% Symbolic 27% Sequential 27% Reality-based 7% Verbal 6% Linear (Your least dominant characteristic) Your Right Brain Percentages 45% Random (Your most dominant characteristic) 40% Fantasy-oriented 28% Concrete 25% Nonverbal 24% Holistic 20% Intuitive (Your least dominant characteristic)

Thanks Rob, I thought I maybe had a brainstorm turns out its only a brain fa_t. But thats ok. If it swims, and catches a bass it will be fine. I will see you at the show. Hope your New Year starts out good. Hey Rob, I have one of Dean Heltons older crankbaits. Must be one that I bought at a show a long time ago before I met him. If I can find it, I will bring it to the show for you to see. I also think I have one of Mike Bowers older cranks. See Ya, John

I was looking at some top water slap baits (ie LC Sammy) and got to wondering why I have never seen a diving crank bait with a concave curve to its back. So, I made one and replaced the front line tie with a circuit board bill. It is 1/2 in Balsa with 1/4 oz of ballast could probably use a little more ballast and maybe a little more bill. Anyone know why diving plugs do not have a concave shaped back. I will be taking it to the lake tomorrow morning 01/01/2008 to see if it will waggle, wobble, roll or do nothing. Does anyone know or care to take a guess as to what it will do? Will post the results tomorrow. Happy New Year, John http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/UpsideDownLure01.jpg

I agree with Longhorn, I think the blade is not catching enough water and is just tilting forward and planing to the top like a sled. a larger blade might help or, you could drill your holes for the duo lock closer to the bottom hole. I made one by cutting a small willow leaf and I struggled with getting it to run right but once I figured out the bend it is fine. Yu can see a picture of it in the wire baits forum. go to search and type in Mini Swim you should find the article

Bruce, a very well thought out room. Looks like it would meet your every need I agree with mark, Nice captains chair

Happy New Year to everyone here at TU. Looking forward to another year of learning how to make better baits. Thanks to all and May your lures run true and catch lots of fish. John

page 363 Bass Pro Shop 2008 Master Catalog

Merry Christmas Everyone

Welcome. You are on the right forum for learning your craft. I too am addicted to this hobby. ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE READY :-)

I mold a two jigs with no weed guard or base pin. Be careful because the hot lead will sometimes run out through the weed guard slot. when the jig cools, cut off the lead spurs that formed in the weed guard slot right against the body of the jigs. Next take a nail file or emory board and smooth this down. Open the mold all the way and lay it on a flat level area. Put a thin coat of vaseline over the area you filed smooth and put the jigs back in the mold one on each side Mix up a little JB Weld and fill the weed guard slots with it. Take a straight edge and drag across the JB Weld to level it. Try not to get any of it on the face of the mold or you will have to sand or scrape it off. Otherwise you will get a lot of flashing. Let it dry and remove the jigs. place a hook in the mold and lay your wire weed guard down the center of the JB Weld. Carefully close the mold and lightly press it together with a vise. open it back up and you should see an impression of your wire weed guard in the JB Weld. If the mold is closing all the way, you won't have to do any thing else. If not, you will have to cut a slight groove down this impression for you wire to lay in. don't cut it deep or lead will surround your weed guard. Hope this helps John

I like your idea, if it works it would save a lot of time and gas going to the lake to test. Maybe a pump and a few jets from a Hot tub put on the end would create enough flow. Keep us posted on this.

Sagacious, I've been bending wires for a long time and thought I was pretty good at it. Now I'm gonna have to throw the gadget in file 13. Sometimes, the easiest and best way of doing things is the simpliest way. Thanks for that great tip on making that wrap. I am sure many others will appreciate it also. http://www.tackleunderground.com/photos/index.php?n=1611' rel="external nofollow"> Hope this helps, good luck!

Your Welcome, I noticed that the notes I made are a little hard to read when the pics come up so if you need them or can't make something out, let me know and I'll email you the pics.

Will give your idea a try, Thanks dor the input. John

I would think that it could be pressed out very easily. There is nothing special about it, just a different shape. When I first started making these, I struggled with getting it to run/swim. I almost gave up on it. The problem was that I wasn't putting enough bend in the blade and the whole lure would roll. Once I figured that out, everything else was fine. I don't use split rings, I modified my mold to accept a .051 stainless connecting link. Lakeland Incorporated makes a blade called a Royal Spinnerbait Blade. It has a very similiar shape and I have been thinking about ordering a few of them to see if they would work. Would sure be nice not having to cut and file them. One thing that I have found when cutting and bending some blades is that the chrome/silver plating will pop loose and flake off. The blades I use on this lure, (I call it a "Mini Swim") are from Barlows It is their premium blade. The company that manufactures them, does an excellent job of platiing them. I have yet to have the plating pop off one of these. John

Mags, Here is a smaller blade that you can make yourself. I make these by cutting down a size 4 willowleaf blade with a pair of tin snips. Drill the holes before cutting. Smooth the cut edges with a dremel drum sander, then bend/tune with pliers. Make the concave side of the blade face forward. This thing has very tight vibrations, casts like a bullet and runs about 1 to 2 ft deep depending on retrieve speed. I use a 1/4 oz head weight size and put the skirt on backwards. looks like a long skirted spyder jig. The long skirt makes fast S curves in the water. Bass like it.

Here it is, a lot of pics but I'm not to good at telling /explaining things hope someone gets something useful from this. John http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140040.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140041.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140042.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140043.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140044.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140047.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140048.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140049.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140050.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140051.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC140052.jpg http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/JBlaze1952/PC130039-1.jpg

Neat, wonder when they quit making it. Also, I am going to put links in to the pics of making this thing.

Thanks JSC, I had to make a gadget to do the uniform wire wraps on the blade wire. That was a tough one to figure out. Also one for doing the wrap at the bottom of the triangle. If anyone would like to try making this thing, I'll post a pic of the gadgets used. John

Clemmy, you did good

JSC, thanks for identifying the spinnerbait. I thought it was a homemade lure. I found one on Ebay afew minutes ago. I also took a stab at making another one today, it looks a little better than the first two. I am anxious to take it to the lake. Those bends and wraps are hard to do. I can see how it would be a good bottom crawler. I will post a pic of my effort in a few minutes. John